Progressive Substitution Drills Substitute each of the following words or phrases in the model sentence.. The expected answer is “No.” Complete the following sentences, using a tag endi
Trang 1NGHIEP VU
THU KY
HANH CHANH QUAN TRI, KE TOAN
Trang 2Ngubi dich: Lé thi Hoai Hai ⁄4>
tondon
Trang 3ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Photography Credits: Katharine Gibbs School, pp iv, 11, 18,
22, 32, 36, 45, 52, 58, 77, 84, 93, 98; Martha Coss, pp 67, 107
Cover Photo @Richard Wood from Taurus Photos
Copyright © 1980 COLLIER MACMILLAN INTERNATIONAL
A Division of Macmillan Publishing Co., inc
Philippines Copyright © 1980
All rights reserved No part of this book may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including
Photocopying, recording, or by any information
Storage and retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the Publisher
Macmillan Publishing Company
866 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y 10022
Collier Macmaillan Canada, Inc
Printed in the United States of America
ISBN 0-02-973760-5 9876543
Trang 5May | Ask Who Is Calling?
Let’s Get Organized
A Planning Session
Kindly Let Us Know
The Stenographic Pool
Review of Structure and Mechanics
Key to Review of Structure and Mechanics
124
Trang 6Good moming, Pulchritude Products Mr Moe’s office
This is the New York office Mr Cole would like to
talk to Mr Moe
Mr Cole? Please tell him Mr Moe is not in his office
at the moment I’m his secretary Does Mr Cole want
to leave a message?
Just a minute Hold the line, please
Hello fim Cole here You say that Moe isn’t in his
office?
No Mr Cole, he isn’t available now, but I expect him back soon May I take a message?
Well—yes Why didn’t he answer my letter?
Your letter? Mr Cole, 1 don’t remember receiving a
letter from you recently
It's about our visit down there this weekend
Your visit? This weekend?
You're Moe's secretary, aren't you? Didn't he say any-
thing about arrangements for a conference?
No, Mr Cole We didn't receive any notice from you Mail is running late because of the holidays Nothing has come from your office for a couple of weeks That's funny I have the copy here We sent the letter eight days ago Jones and I are coming down to talk
1
Trang 7
2 SPECIAL ENGLISH FOR SECRETARIES
about the promotion of the new product We want
Moe to set up meetings with your group at the plant and with our branches and outlets
SUE: Tl give him your message as soon as he returns, Mr
Cole When are you arriving?
COLE: Next Sunday We have booked reservations on TWX,
flight number 787, arriving at eleyen p.m
SUE: What about your hotel reservations?
COLE; Oh, yes Please make the same accommodations as
last year’s—same hotel, and the same suite, if possible
Tell Moe to give me a ring as soon as he gets in
SUE: Of course You're going to be in your office until
noon, aren't you, Mr Cole?
COLE: Yes, I’m going to stick around until he calls
SUE: Fine Don't worry, Mr Cole We'll take care of every-
thing on this end You'll be hearing from Mr Moe
soon
COLE: Thanks I'm relying on you We'll be seeing you soon
Good-bye
SUE: (to her assistant) Whew! That was a close call, wasn’t
it? Where’s Mr Moe? He usually lets me know when he’s late Gee, 1 hope he comes in soon Mr Cole didn’t seem very happy at first, but he brightened up a little
EVE: Good for you The secretary didn’t let her boss down
conference ~ 2 reservations 3 hay re È
sopy pare| close call lenh ~ tá 2 ee
outlets Id the line 3 Z plant let {someone} down a7 z Promotion jet (someone) know ¬
palebritude ;4/ kx Ga 1 mui KHỔ ue
suite ——— / ~ ve * cunning late cóc Ỷ—
dua keri "¬Ộ take care of
jx GD , this end
what about ?
Trang 8MAY 1 ASK WHO IS CALLING? 3
Discussion
lL A secretary always uses discretion when answering the tele-
phone Do you think that Sue was discreet in saying that Mr
Moe wasz't in his office? Imagine you are Sue Which of the
following replies are appropriate?
a He’s late this morning
b I don’t know where he is
c He’s not available right now
d He's stepped out for a moment
e He's in conference
2 Imagine you are Mr Cole How would you feel toward Sue—
friendly, unfriendly, indifferent?
3 Does a person like to be addressed by name, as “Yes, Mr
Cole?”
4 A secretary answered the phone saying, “Mr Clark’s office
speaking.” The caller responded, “A talking office? How un-
usal.” How should she answer the telephone?
A Progressive Substitution Drills
Substitute each of the following words or phrases in the model
sentence
May I take a message?
Example: she
May she take a message?
1 May I take a message?
she call you back send give you a ring telegram can
2 Does Mr Cole want to leave a message?
Trang 94 SPECIAL ENGLISH FOR SECRETARIES
3 You're going to be in the office until noon, aren't you?
He's isn’t he Sue is she
Mr Cole all moming
B Structures
1 Look at these sentences:
1 A Ill give your message to her
B I'll give her your message
2 A Please send your latest catalog to us
B Please send us your latest catalog
Sentences 1A and 2A have this structure: verb—object—
prepositional phrase (to the person)
Sentences 1B and 2B have this structure: verb—indirect pro- noun—object
We use an indirect pronoun to show to whom or for whom something is done
These two structures are used with verbs like give, tell, lend,
send, show, and read
With the verbs explain, say, speak, and report, only use struc-
ture A:
Example: Mr Moe explained the letter to me
With the verb ask, only use structure B:
Example: She asked her a question
Study the examples above and write these sentences using an
indirect pronoun Make sure to change structure A to structure B
a She handed the file to Sue
b Sue always tells the truth to Mr Moe
c Did she send a telegram to Mr Cole?
d Eve read the letter to Sue
e Don’t lend money to the children
2 The following sentences from the Conversation express a polite command, with you understood
Hold the line, please
Don't worry
Trang 10MAY I ASK WHO IS CALLING? 5
Following the above examples, write sentences requesting a person:
a to give your boss a message
b to postpone a meeting
e not to call before seven a.m
d to answer your letter soon
3 The following statements all express an act in the future:
TU give him your message (Will or shall denotes future time.)
We are arriving Sunday (Are arriving is used with a future
date.)
You are going to stay in your office until noon, aren't you? (The
phrase going to expresses future time.)
Write sentences using the verbs arrive, stay, and visit in these three different forms to express an action that will take place
in the future
C Punctuation
1 Notice the contractions in the Conversation: I'm, isn’t, you're,
he'll, let's The apostrophe in these words takes the place of
missing letters These forms are commonly used in everyday speech, but rarely in business correspondence
The apostrophe is also used to show possession: Mr Moe's secretary, the boss's briefcase, the Board of Directors’ meeting Note also that the apostrophe comes before the s in singular words (Moe's, boss's), but after the s in plural nouns (Direc- tors’)
An apostrophe may also be used to replace numbers when
a date is abbreviated: Oldtimers still talk about the flood of
Punctuate these sentences correctly by adding necessary apos- trophes,
a Isnt it the employers duty to secure his employees rights?
b Arent there two rs in “correspondence”?
ec Shell soon be eighty years old, because she graduated
in 98
d The company is giving a childrens Christmas party
e Sue, were going to leave at 2 oclock Ũ
Trang 11sa
6 SPECIAL ENGLISH FOR SECRETARIES
In the following sentences, questions are added to the state- Iaenis A comma is used to se set off the tag ending
Dau
You are Mr Moe's secretary a aren't your (The expected answer
is “Yes.”}
He's not there, is he? (The expected answer is “No.”)
Complete the following sentences, using a tag ending Punc-
tuate them correctly Watch for apostrophes and capitalization!
a you wont be in your office on saturday will you
b he hasnt left yet has he
e that was a close call wasnt it
d mr moe is sues boss isnt he
e it pays to be tactful doesnt it
D Correspondence
1
VG
The Memo (memorandum)
Most companies have forms for brief interoffice communica- tions A sample form:
MEMO B22, io mes, Gib
Date: fan 5, 19— Time: 9:15 AM
To: Luis Moe From: Jim Cole, Market Mgr N.Y
concerned~—no reply to letter sent eight days ago
Subject: Visit to Cal offices and plants Cole and Jones
* arriving Sunday, Jan 8, TWX, 11:07 pm
Purpose: Set up meetings with all dept heads, divisions,
outlets Plan to synchronize promotion and’ mar-
keting of Magic Mask
Telegram
Telegrams are used for many different reasons They are pri- marily used to demand immediate attention when a telephone
call is not feasible
There are several forms for telegrams Be sure to fill out all
information requested: date, type of message, correct name and address of recipient, and sender’s name, address, and telephone number
+
Trang 12MAY 1 ASK WHO IS CALLING? 7
Western Union Telegram Jan 3, 19— South City, Ca
1 Oral (with a classmate)
a Sue answers the telephone A man says that he would like
to speak to Luis Moe He gives his name and says that he is
an old friend of Mr Moe Sue does not recognize the name
and asks the reason for his call He replies that he has an
important deal to discuss She asks him what company he represents, but he says only that it is an important one Sue says that Mr, Moe is in a conference and will call him if he leaves his telephone number He refuses to do that and says
that he will call back later She checks later with Mr Moe
He doesn’t recognize the name
b Call an airline or travel agent for information about your
vacation travel plans Ask for definite information: prices (one way and round trip), departure time, arrival time,
et type of tour (regular and excursion), direct flight or stop-
soy over, and any other pertinent information cự
a staff meeting at four o'clock today in your conference room,
and to alert the staff by telephone and follow up with a memo
it is urgent that all staff members be present
Trang 13
LET’S GET ORGANIZED
What's Happened to Mr Moe? He's usually on time
I called his wife, and she said that he left an hour ago I'm getting worried (Sorting out the moming’s mail) Eve, look! It's here—Cole’s letter (She opens and reads the letter.) He's arriving with Jones this Sunday
He also attached a list of suggestions and a schedule for meetings
We'll probably have to work Saturday
Yes, it looks that way Let's get busy and organize our material
I just filed the advertising reports this morning
What about the data on commercials?
I saw that file yesterday It’s here someplace II check (She returns from the filing room.) It’s not in the files
We have to find it It’s Mr Moe's special project (As Eve leaves, Mr Moe enters, dragging his coat He slumps
fifteen minutes in the elevator
(Dashing in, not seeing Mr Moe) I found it Now what other files do we need for the meetings?
(Sitting up) Meetings? What meetings?
Trang 14LET'S GET ORGANIZED 9
The meetings we have to set up for Mr Cole and Mr Jones
Cole? Jones? Meetings? Here?
Mr Cole phoned about half an hour ago They're ar- riving here Sunday He’s waiting for you to call him
back Here, his letter explains everything
With all my problems, that’s all I need VIPs
What you need is a good cup of coffee Eve, please
get Mr Moe some coffee
(Ske follows Mr Moe into his office A man enters the reception room, as Eve returns with the coffee.)
Good morning May I help you?
Do you greet all your visitors with a cup of coffee? Not really This is for Mr Moe
That's the man I’m looking for
Do you have an appointment, Mr ?
Tate His secretary suggested that I drop by around
about nine forty-five Here’s my card
Please be seated I'll give it to Sue
(Eve leaves, and Sue immediately enters with the card in her hand.)
Good morning, Mr Tate You're the representative
from IDA, aren't you? Unfortunately, we have an emergency here Mr Moe is too busy to see anyone today, I'm afraid Can you arrange to come back some other time?
I suppose so f brought along a portfolio of my work It's a new type of presentation for beauty aids (Looking over the illustrations) Mr Tate, these are
unusual They're wonderful! Did you make them especially for us?
Thad your products in mind
Please leave them with us Mr Moe is looking for something original These are very attractive Did you compose them yourself?
My brother-in-law worked on the plans He's head of the firm 1 did the photography m an ex-artist
1 don't think you are an ex-anything These show great talent I? get in touch with you as soon as Mr Moe looks then over He wants something new and dif- ferent, and these may be the answer
Trang 1510 SPECIAL ENGLISH FOR SECRETARIES
illustration I'd better + verb
presentation May I help you?
Project (n) That’s all I need
Discussion
1 As an executive secretary, does Sue assume the responsibility
of organizing work for her boss?
2 Why must a boss give his secretary sufficient information about
his business?
3 Did Sue know about the type of commercials that Mr Moe
was looking for?
4 Discuss Sue’s tact in handling Mr Tate Did he leave happy
or disappointed?
A Progressive Substitution Drills
Substitute each of the folowing words or phrases in the model
sentence
1 His secretary suggested that I drop by this morning
She Dring this matcrial asked today
come call up
Trang 16
2 Did you make them especially for us?
these : design (v)
the TV specials our products
3 Coming up to the office, I was stalled in the elevator
returning trapped
B Structures
1 Change the following statements to questions
Example: You had an accident Did you have an accident?
a He brought along his portfolio
b They set up the meetings
c Sue says she will call him later
Trang 1712 SPECIAL ENGLISH FOR SECRETARIES
2 Answer the following questions, first in the affirmative and
then in the negative
Example: Did you file the reports this morning?
Yes, I filed the reports this morning
No, I didn’t file the reports this morning
a, Did Sue tell him to come back?
b Did she read the letter?
c Did you throw out that letter?
d Did he leave a phone number?
3 Look at these sentences:
He arrives in the office on time
He usually arrives in the office on time
He always arrives in the office on time
He never arrives in the office on time
How does the meaning of these sentences change when we add the adverbs usually, always, or never? Do these words
express something definite or indefinite?
From the following list, choose an appropriate adverb for
the sentences below
seldom always occasionally
never often generally
sometimes frequently usually
I (not often) work in the file room
We (once in a while) bring our lunch
She (not ever) takes dictation
We (very frequently) come early and stay late
He (without fail) retums our calls
We (now and then) take a day off
We (most of the time) take a break for coffee in the morning
@mepeodơet+
C Punctuation
A hyphen divides words at the end of a line Notice that most words are divided only between syllables, as after-noon Do not
divide words of one syllable or words of less than six letters
(thought, index), proper names of persons and places (Marguerite,
Trang 18LET'S GET ORGANIZED 13
San Francisco), or dates (July 4, 1776)
In a letter you are typing, the following words all appear at the
end of a line Decide which words can be hyphenated and con-
tinued on the next line Supply hyphens wherever necessary You may use a dictionary to check the syllables of the words; perhaps, valuable, impossible, afternoon, planned, N G Brown, proper,
March 6, confident, reunion, greatest, investigation
D Correspondence
When you write a letter, always keep in mind the person you are writing to Do you know him? How will he react to your suggestion? Are you certain he is familiar with the subject you are writing about? Is he able to fulfill your request? Try to put yourself in his place
The next step is to decide exactly what you are asking for and the reason you need the information Decide how you will express your ideas Jot them down, then plan your letter Try to create interest from the very beginning of the letter Get the reader on your side Be clear, but brief and courteous
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear Luis,
Isn't it about time for us to get our heads together to prepare the launching of Magic Mask? With this idea in mind, Jones and I will arrive in your sunny city Jan 6 to work out details,
As you know, we plan to coordinate the appearance of our
newest product in all areas We may follow the same pro-
cedure as last year when we introduced Adonis for men
Again, we are relying upon you to set up meetings with your department heads and with the trade Jones, as usual,
will check the plants and production, while you and I will devote our time and talents to promotion and sales We have
a few new ideas that we hope you will like
We are also depending upon you to make hotel reservations, the same as last year—a double suite at the same hotel Please confirm reservations Will you be so kind as to meet us at the airport, Sunday evening at 11:10, flight 787?
Trang 1914 SPECIAL ENGLISH FOR SECRETARIES
We here are all confident that Magic Mask will create a sen-
sation when it hits the market So, let's get off to a good start!
It goes without saying that we appreciate your help See
you soon
James Cole
Discussion
What requests does Cole make?
What is the purpose of his visit?
Do you think he’s a good boss? Why or why not?
Is the letter clear? Is it concise? Is it courteous?
G9
Why or why not?
E Assignment
Do you like the beginning? The ending? Are they effective?
Write a letter of request Make a brief plan of your letter before
writing it Consider:
1 The beginning: Is itan attention-getter? Do you identify your-
self? Do you clearly state your purpose?
2 The body: Do you clearly develop your main points?
Are your sentences well organized? Are your words well chosen?
3 The ending: Do you restate the main idea? Does it move
the reader to take action? Is it courteous?
You are Jacques Dumas, sales manager of Tresor Cosmetics, and
would like to visit Pulchritude Products Write a letter to Mr Cole
requesting a visit Tell him when you will arrive in New York and where you will be staying
Trang 20MOE: (Reading Cole's letter) It’s that time of year for visi-
tors from the North Let's put on a big show for them
Sue, please get Cole on the line Then make hotel
reservations
SUE: J already did that, and I also sent a follow-up tele-
gram { talked to the assistant manager, and she as-
sured me that a double suite would be available for
(Sue leaves but returns just as Mr Moe finishes his conversation.)
SUE: A young man
MOE: Oh, forget him We have work to do and not much
time Sue, please inform all department heads about `
Cole's schedule Ask them to get their reports _ 1 S
date dae nh SUE: What about an interdepartmental meeting? oe MOE: Yes, arrange that by telephone and follow up with a —
memo We don't want anyone to say he wasn't invited
SUE: Will the meeting be held in your conference room,
or do you prefer the Maple Room? : ý
MOE: Mine Either you or Eve has to be on hand, dn 0 — SUE: We'll both be there I’m sure everyone will do his best
to cooperate Will there be a preliminary depart-
mental sales meeting? “ice A
MOE: Of course Get hold of Val and ask her to get*back
here tomorrow Wel ‘have to call all our salesmen
from the field for a Saturday meeting
ee et,
lea a 15
Trang 21Yes Invite everybody to a luncheon here If they get
a free meal, they probably won't: mind coming Order the Granada to cater for us Then alert Leo to prepare
all conference rooms for next week Give him the
schedule Remind him about microphones, screens, pads of paper, and pencils He knows the routine, but
he sometimes forgets
What about Mr King?
Good heavens! How could I forget the executive di- rector? Get him on the line [Tt ask him to give the welcoming speech at our first general meeting Please follow up with a sweet note to him
Tll have to apologize for the short notice Do you
think he'll be too busy to come?
If we ask him to speak, he'll come I want him to
understand how hard we’ve worked to make Magic Mask a success Can you think of anything else?
The second schedule deals with calls on the trade That's very important Val can help out there She did
That was with Adonis products for men (Reading from her notes) The department heads meet Friday
at four, and the salesmen come Saturday at ten Right?
Fine Were there any other urgent letters in the mail today?
Nothing really pressing Here's an interesting request
you may want to answer yourself A sales agent from
India wants information about our products
That’s routine Send him the usual response and
pamphlets
It's a “she.” You met her at an exhibition in India
last summer She’s interested in handling our products
Her name is Indira Singh
Yes, I do remember her Put the letter aside, and we'll get back to it later I'm not satisfied with our new
television commercials
The contents of this portfolio may interest you While
you were on the plone, Mr Tate, a commercial artist,
(Looking at the pictures) Suel Look! These are great
Trang 22[eX wis
A PLANNING SESSION 17
Did you see them? “
SUE: Yes I thought they were sensational '“7 “~
him now Sue, I think we’ve made a discovery Wow!
We may be able to surprise Cole
interdepartrnental ew vs, follow-up (adj)
interview VAX fy, fully booked
preliminary ‘ood heavens!
Tequest (n and v)
Discussion
1 What is the purpose of Mr Cole's visit?
2 What does Mr Moe ask Sue and Eve to do?
3 What preparations are necessary to set up a conference for twenty to fifty people?
4 Do you think the salesmen will object to coming to work on
a Saturday?
A Progressive Substitution Drills
Substitute each of the following words or phrases in the model
sentence
1 Tl have to apologize for the short notice
explain the reason late delivery
Mr Moe She
Trang 23on
18 SPECIAL ENGLISH FOR SECRETARIES
2 We don’t want anyone to say that he was not invited
3 We can depend upon him
I listen to had better his instructions ought to carry out
B Structures
1 Look at these sentences from the Conversation:
We don't want anyone to say he wasn’t invited
I'm sure everyone will do his best to cooperate
Pronouns and nouns must agree If the noun is singular, the
pronoun must be singular If the noun is plural, the pronoun
must be plural
Study these examples Then, choose the correct forin of the
pronoun in parentheses in the following sentences
Trang 24A PLANNING SESSION 19
Examples: Nobody likes to hear (themselves, himself) on a
tape recorder
(Nobody is singular, so the pronoun that refers to
it must be singular The correct choice is himself.) When the executive directors arrive from the home
office, do your best to make (them, him) at home
(Executive directors is plural, so the pronoun that refers to it must be plural The correct choice is
them.)
a No one here takes (himself, themselves) seriously
b Even if customers are unpleasant, a salesman has to be
courteous to (him, them)
c Don’t worry Everyone is going to do all (he, they) can
d Everyone is out to get what (he, they) want(s)
2 Now, choose the correct form of the verb
Example: Everyone minds his own business
Each of the managers (want, wants) to make a speech None of us (wins, win) all the time
Every one of the salesmen (tries, try) hard
Either Sue or Eve (writes, write) the reports
I don’t think any of us (is, are) going
Nothing they do (seems, seem) to please their boss Every one of the secretaries (was, were) present
amoao
Punctuation
When two complete independent sentences are joined together
in one sentence by and, but, or, or nor, they are separated by a
comma
Examples: The department heads meet Friday at 5 p.m., and
the salesmen come Saturday at 10 a.m
He knows the routine, but he sometimes forgets Punctuate these sentences Remember to add commas when two sentences are joined together by but, and, nor, or
1 were sorry to ask you to return mr tate but mr moe cant see
you now
Trang 2520 SPECIAL ENGLISH FOR SECRETARIES
2 should we serve a big luncheon or should we just “order
A reply to a letter of request should be prompt and to the point
If you can grant the request, then express pleasure in doing so
If you cannot, then express regret, and, if possible, give a valid reason for not being able to comply Your refusal should be discreet Avoid being blunt or rude Always think about the per-
son you are writing to
In the following letter, Mr King replies to Mr Moe's request that he deliver the welcoming speech at the general convention planned for Mr Cole and Mr Jones
(Letterhead)
Janvary 11, 19—
Dear Mr Moe:
Thank you for inviting me to address the convention Tues-
day at 9:30 a.m I shall be delighted to welcome our dis-
tinguished visitors from our head office, Mr Cole and Mr
Jones, representatives from branch offices, and our own
group
As you pointed out, the notice is indeed short, but under-
standable, considering the late mail delivery these days
It is always a pleasure to receive officials from our home, >~ }~"
office and to know that they are personally interested in our
operations here I have every confidence that the introduc-
tion of our latest product, Magic Mask, will meet with
success
i
Trang 26A PLANNING SESSION 21
Thank you for sending the attractive bulletins and pamphlets
with the latest information about the product As you know,
it has been a rather costly investment, including a lengthy testing period However, we feel that the success will more
than make up for the effort and expense
1, Do you think Mr King is a warm, cordial, friendly person, or
a reserved, serious, and formal person?
2 Does he give an impression of being an effective general manager?
3 Does his letter meet the requirements of a good reply to a re- quest? Is it clear, cordial, complete, courteous?
Is the letter well written? Is it specific? Is it well balanced? Is the beginning effective? The ending?
E Assignment
Imagine you are Mr Moe Write a reply to James Cole’s letter in lesson 2 (pages 13-14) Plan your letter carefully Make sure you write an attractive beginning, develop your ideas logically, and end courteously Answer all of Mr Cole’s specific questions
Trang 28Can you join us for lunch? G+ & ~< “e2 ~
No, I've neglected my own work too long Staying here
is better for my health than going to a luncheon I'll
have to help Eve with my report, and 1 have to check
on the TV commercials Besides, it's Val's job to par- ticipate in the entertaining
Well, suit yourself Bye See you later
(Eve enters as Sue leaves the office.)
Do you want to cancel or just postpone?
Postpone it until next week I want to stay in the of-
fice this morning Please set the Dictaphone there on
my desk by that stack of mail There are a few letters
I have to answer We'll send them to the pool for
typing If you have any questions about that report,
don’t hesitate to ask me
Thanks, Mr Moe I think I understand the plan Sue
explained the format to me I'll write a rough copy for you to check
Since I have a little time now, I'll take a look at the
letter Sue told me about
23
Trang 2924 SPECIAL ENGLISH FOR SECRETARIES
(Eve leaves, and Mr Moe begins to read the following letter from Ms Singh.)
Perhaps you may remember a redheaded agent whom
you met at the International Cosmetic Exhibition last summer She spent a lot of time admiring the Pulchritude Products display Didn't she also sit beside you at the
banquet? At that time we discussed the potential market
in my country, This same agent is now interested in representing your line of cosmetics and allied products
throughout India Don’t you agree that this is an appro-
priate time to consider the market in this vast country?
Last fall our company discontinued Lovely Lady prod- ucts Now we are looking for a well-known brand Re-
cently I read in a trade journal that you are expanding
both your products and your distribution There was
speculation that you may introduce something special
for women I recall that last year your Adonis line for men was very popular
You are aware, I am sure, of the reputation of Singh's
Agency Nevertheless, | am sending you a list of our
retailers They are mainly reputable drug stores, well-
known department stores, and beauty clini¢s This will give you an idea of the volume of our business as well
as the type of our clients If you are interested in our
Agency, please send us a complete list of your products
We could even plan further and set up a meeting at your
convenience Personally, I would enjoy a visit to your plant—that is, if you are not too busy at this time 1 will soon make a trip to China, and I could extend my jour-
ney and visit your country,
Trang 30KINDLY LET US KNOW 25
Will you kindly let me know if you are interested in this proposal?
Sincerely yours, Indira Singh Vice President Enclosure IS:cb
MOE: Well, Singh’s Agency This is something to think about
hesitate suit yourself
lawyer trade journal
neglect
participate
Discussion
1 Do secretaries often help to entertain their boss's guests?
2 What type of work is Eve doing?
3 From Mr Moe's point of view, discuss Indira Singh’s letter
a Do you think her introductory sentence aroused his interest?
b Is her message specific? Does she give enough information?
c Does she leave a way for him to refuse politely?
d Does this letter inspire a reply?
A Progressive Substitution Drills
Substitute each of the following words or phrases in the model sentence
Trang 3126 SPECIAL ENGLISH FOR SECRETARIES
1 Thanks for escorting Cole and Jones to the demonstration
going with display
taking We're grateful to you
them on an excursion
2 It’s Val's job to do some of the entertaining
my assistant’s take care of
3 This agent is interested in representing your line
selling pleased about
B Structures
1 Look at the pairs of words below The words in each pair are very similar, but their meanings are very different
From the context of the sentences, choose the correct word
to complete the exercises
a beside-besides
Didn't she sit beside you?
Ihave all that filing to do besides typing these letters
Put the letter _ the portfolio on my desk
b then-than
Then you can check it
Td rather take the day off than come in to the office on Saturday
After you write the letter, correct it
c sit-set
Didn't she sit beside you?
Set the machine beside the letters
Shalll — it here or over there?
d further-farther
We could plan further and set up a meeting
We hardly ever see them since they moved the home office farther west
We didn't discuss the matter any
Trang 32KINDLY LET US KNOW = 27
e there-their
There is urgent business
It is their duty to entertain
Didn’t she like products?
‘
2 Look at this sentence from the Conversation:
Until I talk to Tate, I won't know about the films
The adverb until expresses an idea of time in this sentence Other adverbs that serve the same purpose are before, after,
ever since, and as soon as Study these examples:
We have to complete the marketing study before the product enters the market
After Ive had lunch, I'll begin typing these letters
We've been busy ever since Mr Cole's letter arrived
Tl be with you as soon as I speak with my secretary to con-
firm the reservations
In these sentences, choose the adverb that best expresses the time relationship
a — | closed the door, I remembered that I had
forgotten my keys
b, —-_ _ [came to this country, I couldn’t speak English
e I said it, I knew it was the wrong thing to say
d I'll stay here _ he arrives
8 ——— Exve joined the firm, Sue has been able to leave work at 5:00,
C Punctuation
1 Today, letters are more informal and personal than they used
to be In informal letters, we use a comma after the salutation
instead of a colon
Example: Dear Judy,
Thank you for the get-well card
2 Explain the use of punctuation marks in Ms Singh's letter
3 Look at these sentences:
Until I talk to Tate, I won't know about the film
Trang 3328 SPECIAL ENGLISH FOR SECRETARIES
Whenever I use that old typewriter, I make a lot of mistakes
As soon as you file these bills, answer today’s mail
In these sentences, a comma is used to separate the adverbial
clause from the main clause
Based upon these models, punctuate the following sentences
a Since Eve came Sue doesn’t have to work so hard
b After we received your letter we changed our minds
¢ Because Eve wrote such good letters she received a raise
important for secretaries Their bosses hold them responsible for
the neat appearance of the letter, spelling, punctuation, and Proper usage of the language
Apply the rules of the “Four C's” to Ms Singh's letter
1 What is her purpose? Is it expressed clearly?
- 1s the style concise or rambling?
- Is the tone friendly? Give an example
Are the paragraphs well organized?
Do you find errors in sentence structure, spelling, or punc- tuation?
write a letter of inquiry to the sales department of Pulchritude
Products requesting more information about the product
Trang 34Cood moming Welcome to our group Your name
is pronounced “Nga,” isn’t it—with » as in “not” and
& pronounced as y in “yellow”?
Yes, that’s right It’s an oriental name
Call me Gen—short for Genevieve The g is soft, as
in “generous” English pronunciation isn’t easy, is it?
No, it’s not But I use tapes for practice, and I think
I'm improving I hope I do well my first day here I'm sure you will As usual, we're very busy Mr Moe, our marketing manager, sent down several tapes His
secrétaries are busy this moming You're familiar with
recordings, aren’t you?
Yes, I am My previous boss used the Dictaphone I liked it because she always spoke distinctly and gave
clear instructions She also trusted me to make re- visions and corrections
Good Mr Moe seldom uses machines, as his secretary usually composes his letters Machines are helpful,
but they can’t take the place of dictatiorf® Often a secretary has questions about spelling names or ad-
Trang 3530 SPECIAL ENGLISH FOR SECRETARIES
(Later, Nga comes to Gen’s desk.)
Please read both
(Reading) “Dear Ms Brown: Your kind letter of in- quiry asking about our new product, which we named Magic Mask, is at hand, and we hasten to reply.” That's trite, isn’t it? And yours?
“Thank you for your inquiry of January 2, expressing interest in our new beauty aid, Magic Mask.” That mentions the date and omits unnecessary words I also omitted this sentence: “Evidently our advertising campaign is effective, as you are witness to that fact;
and we look forward to a successful future for this
new beauty aid.” That sentence, I think, is unnecessary You're right Mr Moe is very intelligent; but when
he dictates, his enthusiasm runs away with him (Reading) “Answering your question about when you can obtain this product, the marketing date is set for
the immediate future, when it will be displayed on the shelves.”
L hope you corrected the grammar and clarified the meaning
I simply said, “It’s a pleasure to assure you that this product will soon be available in April you will be able to find Magic Mask in all leading department and drugstores in your city.”
Good That's more specific 1 like the personal touch
in referring to “you.” What else does Mr Moe say?
“In the interim, I take pleasure in sending you under separate cover a complimentary two-month sample, free of charge Please let me know if you see signs of
rejuvenation Also enclosed please find a brochure
with details for using the mask and its gradual change.” Evidently Mr Moe was dictating without notes And yours?
I revised the entire last part and took out the phrases
“thanking you for your interest,” “hoping to hear from you soon,” and “we remain.” I wrote, “Enclosed is a brochure which explains the use and the result of the
Trang 36THE STENOGRAPHIC POOL 31
treatment Also, you will soon receive a sample for a
two-month supply of Magic Mask.”
CEN- That's good It’s more definite What about the clos-
ing? The last paragraph is very important, you know g paragrap! ry imp y
NGA: “Ms Brown, after using this treatment according to
instructions, will you kindly give us your opinion of
Magic Mask? We value your comments and appre-
ciate your interest.” Should I add something like:
“We hope you and your friends will be among our
best customers”?
GEN: I don’t think so, Nga The word “hope” weakens the
effect of the ending It's not a very positive word
Moreover, don’t overdo an appreciative attitude You
have made the original far more simple and natural
I'm sure Mr Moe will be gratefu! for your help
enthusiasm complimentary sample
Discussion
i Applying the “Four C’s” and the “Three $’s" (simple, short,
and sweet), discuss improvements Nga made in rewriting
Mr Moe's letter
1 Clear—tn his reply, was Mr Moe definite about the date
Trang 37
and places to find the product? Compare it with Nga’s
reply
2 Concise—Did Nga’s letter come to the main point more
quickly? What outmoded and trite phrases did she omit?
3 Courteous—Did Mr Moe emphasize the “I” or the “you”
approach? Was his mention of “rejuvenation” tactful?
4 How would you improve the following sentence? “Your
letter of inquiry, asking about our product, is at hand.”
A Progressive Substitution Drills
Substitute each of the following words or phrases in the model
sentences
1 Thank you for your inquiry of January 2, expressing interest ,
in our new beauty aid
April 10 quick response
We appreciate
2 That’s why I'm here
he’s working where
Trang 38THE STENOGRAPHIC POOL 33
3 If I get stuck, may Ï call on you for help?
B Structures
Review this sentence from the Conversation:
I'm sure Mr Moe will be grateful for your help
(That is understood: I'm sure thet Mr Moe will be grateful for your help
Following that structure, respond to the questions below.-Intro- duce your answers with: I think, I believe, 'm sure, I know, I wonder if, I hope
1 Do we have enough invitations?
2 Will everything go smoothly at the meeting?
3 The letter wasn’t lost, was it?
4 Does the volume of sales justify the expense of TV advertising?
d That's trite, isn’t it? (To set off a parenthetical question—
a tag ending.)
Referring to the above sentences as models, supply all necessary punctuation marks in the following sentences Remember apos- trophes and capitalization
Trang 3934 SPECIAL ENGLISH FOR SECRETARIES
no we are not allowed to send samples through the mail you want to have his opinion dont you
after using it ms brown will you please tell me your opinion
i like the personal touch the reference to the writer
you are familiar with our product magic mask arent you yes i like it but its expensive isnt it
from you and to know that you regard our products so
highly
Your letter arrived at an opportune time We are now con-
sidering expanding our sales department We hope to include
far-away places, so the field you mention could be yours
Your list of retailers is impressive In turn, you may be im-
pressed by our newest product, Magic Mask It will hit the market in a few months I am enclosing a pamphlet about it
We certainly weleome you to visit our plant and to discuss
a possible relationship However, before we set a definite
date, 1 prefer to consult Mr Cole, our marketing directgr
in New York He usually goes along with my recommendh- tions I would also like to discuss this matter with Mr King,
our general manager here.
Trang 40THE STENOGRAPHIC POOL 35
You may expect to hear from me very soon Personally, I
am optimistic that we will be able to work out a satisfactory arrangement
Sincerely yours,
Luis Moe Marketing Mgr
Enclosure
E Assignment
1 Copy Nga’s revision of Mr Moe's letter
2 Write an answer to a salesman’s inquiry about representing Pulchritude Products in Canada You may mention that you have (don’t have) a representative in that area, you are (are not) able to give encouragement; you are (are not) sending information about your products; you do (do not) suggest that
he come for a personal interview